European Mole Cricket

European Mole Cricket (Gryllotalpa). Came across this in the garden recently, What a scarey sight initially. This one was around 7cm long. The locals tell me that they call them "blind dogs" and they live and burrow underground hence the shape of their front feet

''Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa'', commonly known as the European mole cricket is widespread in Europe and has been introduced to the eastern United States. The scientific name is derived from the Latin 'gryllus' meaning a cricket and 'talpa', a mole, and is descriptive because of the fine dense fur by which it is covered and its subterranean habits, and because of the mole-like forelegs adapted for digging, a good example of convergent evolution.